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Apothecary
"Two parts alcohol, one part powdered bear tooth and one part pasty phlegmberry. Infuse the solids until bubbles appear, then boil off the alcohol. It’ll put extra power in your arms for a good hour, if you can take the cramps." Basic (SH) While physicians prescribe cures for their patients’ various ills, it is the apothecary who actually makes the medicine. Specialists in minerals, chemicals, and salts derived from organic matter, the apothecary mixes powders to be taken with wine, unguents to apply to infected areas, and medicinal incenses to drive away unhealthy vapours. Guild law allows them to prescribe for minor ailments, such as a cold or stomach-ache, but few do since many physicians are resentful of the competition. While some apothecaries move on to higher careers in medicine or academia, others turn their knowledge to personal greed or succumb to a desire to harm others. Some apothecaries have been known to feed their clients drugs disguised as medicine, forcing them to come back and pay higher prices to feed their addiction, while others sell their services as poisoners, splitting the profits with an aggrieved widow or heir. Main Profile Secondary Profile Skills: Academic Knowledge (Science), Gossip, Haggle, Heal or Prepare Poison, Perception, Read/Write, Secret Language (Guild Tongue), Speak Language (Classical), Trade(Apothecary) Talents: Etiquette or Resistance to Poison, Suave or Very Resilient Trappings: Healing Draught, Light Armour (Leather Jerkin), Trade Tools (Apothecary’s Kit) Career Entries Apprentice Wizard, Barber-Surgeon, Hedge Wizard, Student Career Exits Apprentice Wizard, Artisan, Barber-Surgeon, Embalmer, Grave Robber, Merchant, Physician, Scholar Affiliations The Apothecary’s Guild is one of the weaker guilds in the Old World, under constant pressure by the more powerful Physician’s Guild. For fees much lower than a surgeon charges, apothecaries will attempt to cure their patients by manipulating the body’s four vital humours with chemical compounds. The Physician’s Guild counters the competitive edge of the apothecaries by forcing them to sell their wares to physicians at a significant discount. The order of Gold Wizards also watches apothecaries’ shops to ensure they aren’t dabbling in higher alchemy. Consequentially, some apothecaries supplement their meager income by selling illegal drugs and poisons. An apothecary caught doing this faces expulsion from the guild in addition to criminal charges. However, many wealthy and influential customers use these black market products, and a threat or bribe from one of them can convince the Apothecary’s Guild to overlook legal transgressions by its members. Apothecaries are respected by the priesthood of Shallya, who support affordable medicine for all. Unfortunately, this goodwill rarely translates into political influence because the cult of Shallya is disinclined to challenge the Physician’s Guild. Needless to say, many apothecaries pursue higher academic studies in their spare time, hoping to eventually obtain membership in both guilds. Preparation Techniques The apothecary trade is filled with all manner of unusual means to prepare components for their tinctures and potions. Apothecaries have their own terms to explain the complex processes they undertake in their craft. Concoction: Mixture is heated or cooked at moderate heat for an extended period. Desiccation: Substance is dried or heated to remove all moisture. Elixiration: Mixture is converted into a potion or draught. Imbibition: A procedure is extended by the gradual and continuous addition of a substance. Luting: A flask or jar is sealed airtight using a waxy paste. Putrefaction: Ingredient is rotted under gradual, moist heat. Sublimation: Solid ingredient is heated, producing a vapour that condenses on the inside of a flask. Trituration: Ingredient is reduced to powder by applying heat.